Current-motor.



A. NORDLUND.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION nun) mm. 19,1908.

908,3 1 5, Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

2 BHEETSSHEET l.

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A. N ORDLUN D.

CURRENT MOTOR.

APPLICATION rum) mm 19, 1903.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908. A {SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l IBHH-WEIHEHHH/ Wit" use:

ANDREW NORDLUND, OF GASSAWAY, WEST VIRGINIA.

CURRENT-MOTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. June 19, 1908.

Patented Dec. 29, 1908.

Serial No. 439,457.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW NORDLUND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gassaway, in the county of Braxton and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Current-Motors, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in current motors, and is particularly directed to a means whereby the pressure generated by the current will automatically control the operation of the motor.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a current motor including a float and a series of pumps operated directly by the current of the stream in which the float is supported, the pressure generated by the pumps being arranged to directly control the effect of the current on the pump operating mechanism, whereby the motor may be set to limit its power to the desired maximum pressure.

The invention will be described in the following specification, reference being had particularly to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly in section, of a motor constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the propelling blades. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional View, partly in elevation, of the compression cylinder. Fig. 5 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, of one of the pumps. Fig. 6 is an inner face view of one of the blade supporting blocks.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawings, my improved current motor comprises a float 1, of any appropriate type, preferably including a hollow watertight bottom section 2 and walls 3 rising there from. Secured upon the bottom is a bracket plate 4 on which is supported a series of motor elements, as pumps 5, which may be in any form and in any desired number. The pistons 6 of the pumps depend below the bracket plate 4 and through a well 7 in the bottom of the float, being connected by links 8 to crank portions 9 of a drive shaft 10.

The shaft 10 is supported in brackets 11 depending from and below the bottom of the float at each side of the well opening, said shaft being provided near its relatively rear end with a gear 12. The bracket 11 adjacent the gear end of the power shaft depends below the shaft bearing and forms one of a pair of drive shaft supporting brackets, the other one 13 of which depends from the float bottom in alineinent with and rearwardly from the bracket 11. In the brackets 11 and 13 is mounted a drive shaft 14, the forward end of which projects in advance of the bracket 11 and carries a gear 15 arranged to at all times mesh with the gear 12 on the power shaft.

Upon the rear portion of the drive shaft 14 is fixed a collar 16, beyond which said shaft is squared at 17 for the reception of securing blocks 18. These blocks, which are in disk form, are of identical structure and formed on their faces with semicylindrical recesses 19 arranged radially of the block and opening through the edge thereof, the inner ends of said recesses communicating with head recesses 20 also of semicylin'drical shape in longitudinal section and of greater width and depth than the recesses 19. The respective recesses in the blocks 18 are designed to register to provide housings for the shafts 21 and heads 22 of the propeller blades 23, the for mation providing for the convenient insertion and removal of the blades as desired and mounting the blades for independent revoluble movement within the blocks while preventing their disconnection from the blocks. The rear terminal of the drive shaft 14 is reduced and threaded at 24 to receive a nut 25 whereby the blocks 18 are secured in applied position. Each blade is rovided adjacent the stem 21 with a latera ly extending arm 26, the free terminal of which is through a link 27 connected with a collar 28 freely slidable upon the drive shaft, said collar having an annular recess 29 in which is movably fitted a ring member 30, for a purpose which will presently appear.

The pumps 5 are supplied with water from the stream through a suction pipe 31 closed by a strainer end 32 for the usual purpose and communicating through a series of laterals 33 with the respective pumps, whereby the action of the pistons 34 within the pumps will serve to draw water throu h the suction pipe and into the pump cylin ers. Each of the pumps through outlets 35 delivers the water under pressure to a discharge main 36, which in turn leads into a compression cylinder 37, from which cylinder an outlet 38 is utilized to direct the water to any appropriate point of use through any desired pipe connection.

with the blades 23 disposed at the proper angle to the direction of current in the stream it is obvious that said current will impart rotation to the drive shaft 14 and through the medium of the gears 12 and 15 operate the pumps to direct a current of water into the compression cylinder 37. As the motor is intended to be automatic in its operation it is obvious that means must be provided for controlling the pressure of the water delivered from the pumps or in other words controlling the operatlon of the motor. The compression cylinder 37 is designed primarily to accomplish this result, and for the purpose noted there is arranged within the cylinder in position to receive the pressure from the discharge pipe36, a piston39, the stem 40 of which projects through and beyond the relatively rear head of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. 4. The stem is connected to an angle lever 41 pivotally supported through an ear fixed to the cylinder 37, which lever is in turn, through a rod 42, connected to an angle lever 43 pivotally supported on the relatively rear bracket 13, said lever-43 being in turn connected to the ring 30of the sleeve 28 through the medium of a bar 44, which is referably guidedin an opening formediin a ange of the bracket 13. The controlling means used within the'cylinder-37 is a coil spring 45 arranged between the piston 39 and the relatively rear head of the cylinder, said spring operating in opposition to the pressure of water from the discharge pipe 36. The strength of the-spring 45, which may be such as desired, will control the pressure developed by the motor, it being understood that when such pressure is exceeded the water from the discharge pipe 36 will cause a relatively rearward movement of the piston 39 within the compression cylinder and through the lever 41 rod 42, lever 43, rod 44, sleeve'28, links 27, and arms '26 revolve the respective blades until their edges are disposed in alinement with the current direction, so that the current iswithoutfurtheneflect'on said blades so far as operating theapparatus is concerned. Any sudden excess of pressure is thus immediately compensated for, it being understood that the spring 45 may be of such strength as to control the motor and limit its maximum power to that desired for the particular work, so that no matter how strong the current in the stream may be the power derived therefrom may be in any degree up to the maximum power of the stream.

Aside rrom the details hereinbetore described it is to be understood that the construction of the various parts are not material to the present invention, and that I contemplate the use of any material or the construction of the parts in any sizes which may be found desirable in connection with the particular use for which the motor is intended.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new, is

1. A current motor including a propeller, means operated by the propeller for delivering water from the motor under pressure,

and means controlled by such pressure for operating the blades of the propeller.

2. A current motor including a float, a series of pumps supported thereby, a propeller supported by the float and operating the pumps, and means controlled by the pressure from the pumps for automatically adjusting the blades of the propeller.

3. A current motor comprising a float, a propeller supported thereby, a series of pumps carried by the float, means arranged between the propeller and pumps'for oper ating the latter in the movement of the former, a compression cylinder receiving the discharge from the pumps, and means controlled by said cylinder for varying the angular relation of the propeller blades with the line of direction of the current.

4. A current motor comprising a float, a series of pumps carried thereby, a propeller adapted to be arranged in the stream and including a series of blades, means for rotatively supporting each-of said blades, and means operated by the pressure ofthe discharge from the pumps for adjusting said blades to vary their inclination relative to the direction ofcurrent.

5. A current motor comprising a float, a pump carried thereby, a ropeller for operating the pump and inc uding a series of independently movable blades, a compres sion cylinder arranged to receive the discharge from the pump, a piston within said cylinder, and means intermediate the piston and propeller blades whereby in the movement of the piston the angular relation of the blades to the current may be adjusted.

6. A current motor comprising afloat, a pump carried thereby, a propeller for operating the pump and including a series of independently movable blades, a compression cylinder arranged to receive the discharge from-the pump, a piston withinsaid cylinder, a spring resisting movement of the piston under the influence of the pump discharge,

ANDREW NOR-DLUND. Witnesses A. M. LITTLE, W. G. SIMMONS. 

